58 WHAT I HAVE SEEN WHILE FISHING 



a train back from Peterborough, which, I was told, 

 would stop at my station. But again I was at 

 fault. As I afterwards discovered, I should have 

 advised the guard of my wish to alight, and, as I 

 had not done so, we proceeded Londonwards, my 

 only satisfaction being another wave of saluting 

 handkerchiefs. Again I got to Peterborough, and 

 ,again to St. Ives. By this time I was not so cool 

 or collected as a fisherman with his impedimenta 

 should be, and as the train seemed a long time in 

 stopping, doubts came to me as to its intentions, 

 and I sprang out, with my rods in one hand and 

 my bag in the other. Somehow the hanging bag 

 got between my legs, and I should most certainly 

 have had a very nasty fall had I not broken my 

 momentum by coming into violent collision with 

 the station-master, who was knocked against the 

 palings, while I sprawled my full length along the 

 platform. Of course he was very wroth, and t ook 

 my name and address, but on hearing my explana- 

 tions he smiled, scanned my features closely, looked 

 pityingly, and said it was truly a strangely-peopled 

 world. 



It was long past noon when I commenced to 

 fish, but I got two nice jack, the first of which I put 

 in the dry ditch on the other side of the towpath. 

 When I had spun out the second it was time to 

 think of a wash, a cup of tea, and a train for home. 

 To my surprise, I was unable to find my first fish ; 

 the dry ditch was everywhere alike and equally full 



